Ask the Ref - Rules Questions

[Indian Chief]

Rotation violation:

 

When must players be in position? Is it when the referee blows the whistle or when the player serves?

 

At a tournament this weekend, late in the tie break set, two players switch positions after the referee blows the whistle to signify the start of play. Is this a violation?

[play4keeps]

Rotation violation:

 

When must players be in position? Is it when the referee blows the whistle or when the player serves?

 

At a tournament this weekend, late in the tie break set, two players switch positions after the referee blows the whistle to signify the start of play. Is this a violation?

 

 

I was told they can't move until after the serve (this after multiple violations /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />)

[PHargis]

I was told they can't move until after the serve (this after multiple violations /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />)

Strange this post was sent in because in about every match I've seen this year, the moving violation has been called five or six times a match. Maybe the GLJ migt post his rule book rules and explain why there might be some of that going on. Are officials tightening on an existing rule. That is a GOOOOOOOD question and observation. Whatever the significance, he didn't say how it affected his School.

[TheGreatLineJudge]

P4K, I'm sorry to learn that one of my colleagues misled you.

 

Player positions, for the sake of determining a legal or illegal alignment, may only be determined at the moment of contact. Plain and simple, a girl may do cartwheels after the whistle is blown, provided she is placed correctly on the court in proportion to her corresponding players.

 

I'll go into detail when it's not so late.

 

Another myth busted: it is NOT illegal for the server to step on the service line. It is, however, illegal to step on the line at the moment of contact.

 

Same principle: moment of contact.

[Spekt8r]

Same subject with a twist.... The ref blows the whistle and signals for the player to serve. Before the player tosses the ball in the air to serve, she realizes it is not her turn to serve and the the coach calls for a time out. After the time out, the ref awards the opposing team the serve anyway. When asked why, she replies that once she has motioned for the player serve (even if it is the wrong player) play has started and time-out cannot correct the out-of-rotation. I vehemntly disagree with the ref's decision. Was it correct?

[by03]

The rule reads "at the moment of serve"

 

You can be out of rotaotion at the time the referee whistles to beckon serve, realize it, and switch properly before the contact of ( or moment) of serve.

[TheGreatLineJudge]

Same subject with a twist.... The ref blows the whistle and signals for the player to serve. Before the player tosses the ball in the air to serve, she realizes it is not her turn to serve and the the coach calls for a time out. After the time out, the ref awards the opposing team the serve anyway. When asked why, she replies that once she has motioned for the player serve (even if it is the wrong player) play has started and time-out cannot correct the out-of-rotation. I vehemntly disagree with the ref's decision. Was it correct?

 

 

This type of scenario has been discussed in Nashville local meetings.

 

First, as soon as the referee beckons for serve, nothing else may take place. Time outs, substitutions, etc. are off the table.

 

Second, if it's the wrong player, one of three things had better be taking place (all legal):

-a. the wrong server and correct server had better be switching out, getting in correct position, and a successful serve execution take place;

-b. the above, except the correct server tosses for reserve

-c. here's the twist: the incorrect server may toss the ball for a re-serve, the correct server take the ball (no rush, just normal course of business), and then the correct server executes service.

 

Why is 'c' legal?

 

-The "wrong server" is not an illegal service until service contact is made (resounding theme: moment of contact);

-Re-serves apply to either one per player, per rotation or one per position, per rotation (going to have to check my rule book); either way, even the incorrect server in question may utilize the re-serve action to get out of the situation

 

My two questions back to you, Spekt8or: Was the time-out recognized? Did the server's 5 seconds expire?

 

After I have that, I will elaborate further.

[Spekt8r]

GLJ,

 

The time out was recognized by the ref and during that time I (one of the the line judges) asked her (the ref) if the serving team would get to serve after the time out. Her response was "No" then she said something about taking too much time. That probably meant the five seconds had expired but I don't think anyone was really counting. At any rate, I truly believe her decision was soley based on the fact that the first server had already been sequestered to serve the ball and she was out of rotation. The ref's decision had no bearing on the outcome of the game but an explanation of the rule (or her interpretation thereof) would have been nice. No further research required on your part and thank you for getting back to me on this. The players should have known whose serve it was anyway.

[oldsetter]

GLJ,

 

The time out was recognized by the ref and during that time I (one of the the line judges) asked her (the ref) if the serving team would get to serve after the time out. Her response was "No" then she said something about taking too much time. That probably meant the five seconds had expired but I don't think anyone was really counting. At any rate, I truly believe her decision was soley based on the fact that the first server had already been sequestered to serve the ball and she was out of rotation. The ref's decision had no bearing on the outcome of the game but an explanation of the rule (or her interpretation thereof) would have been nice. No further research required on your part and thank you for getting back to me on this. The players should have known whose serve it was anyway.

 

 

After the becon for serve, you have 5 seconds counted by the ref. If no contact, or a toss for a reserve is made, there is a loss of rally point. The ref should have held up her hand with all 5 fingers out.

 

GLJ, during that service term. All players in that position get one reserve. Interestingly, in the instance where the wrong server tosses the ball and lets it drop so the correct server can get back there, the wrong server has used up the correct servers "reserve". If another player is sub'd into the servers position, they too will get one 'reserve' for that teams service term, and any other player that subs in (without there being a loss of rally) would also get one reserve.

[oldsetter]

A couple of things to consider when looking at a play at the net:

 

Attacking

Attacking the ball when it is completely on the other side of the net (translation/criteria: the edge of the ball has not yet become even with the net) is NEVER legal. Ever. Even after the other team has had their third hit. ATTACKING is not the same as BLOCKING.

 

Blocking

Any ball that is in the plane of the net, even so much as the edge of it, is anyone's ball. It may be blocked or attacked by any player.

 

Blocking the ball, even when it is completely on the other side of the net, is legal in two circumstances:

1. The third contact has already been made by the other team; OR

2. The ball is falling near the net and no one from the other team appears to be able/willing to play it.

 

Once again, this is a judgment call.

 

However, a blocker may not interfere with play on the other side of the net. What's interference, you ask? The blocker takes care of business when:

 

1. The ball is falling near the net AND another player is running towards it to play the ball or is presently attempting to play (let's be clear... "running towards the ball" is not coming from the opposite corner of the court... they have to have a legitimate chance to make it over there); OR

 

2. The ball is in the midst of play. (Common example: the setter is attempting to set it towards her teammate).

 

What's the difference in a block and an attack? In layman's terms:

 

Block: Hands are stationary, generally flat and straight in the air or slanted over the opposite court (which is legal). The hands stay stationary throughout the course of a block or potential block; you do not see the hand/arm moving in a forward motion in the traditional concept of a volleyball "kill".

 

Attack: An expediting of the ball's forward motion towards the floor of the opposite court.

 

Forgive me for getting a bit cute towards the end, but there's a primer on over-the-net play.

 

Under blocking add

3. Any attacked ball may be blocked, so if a team directs their 1st or 2nd team contact toward the opponents (refs judgement), the ball may be blocked on the opponents side of the court.

[lovevb]

What is the purpose of the Libero tracker? When someone asked me this question the other night I could not give them an answer. After our game Tuesday night I now know that one reason for the libero tracker is to make sure the libero does not serve for more than one player. That concept did not work during our match because the tracker informed the coach their libero had served for more than one player instead of telling the ref and basically nothing was done. Can someone please tell me what other purpose a libero tracker serves, especially in the case of club ball when the libero can not serve???

[sideout]

Making sure that the sub that replaces the libero is the same player that the libero replaced when she went in.